The ShopRite LPGA, played the week before the season’s second major—the U.S. Women’s Open—will be missing a host of top players. Twenty of the world’s top 25 are not entered. The highest-ranked player in the field is No. 7 Charley Hull (England), followed by No. 15 Hye-Jin Choi. Also in the field from the top 25 are No. 18 Akie Iwai (Japan), No. 20 Chisato Iwai (Japan), and No. 24, defending champion Jennifer Kupcho (USA).
With so many top-ranked players absent, rookies are getting a major opportunity. Of the 28 rookies on tour, only five aren’t playing this week. Unfortunately for the Korean contingent, rookie leader Yumin Hwang is one of them—she’s sat out two straight events, including the Kroger Queen City Championship.
Hwang grabbed the rookie lead after a T5 at the season opener, the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, and hasn’t surrendered it since. But while she rests and recharges, a dangerous challenger has emerged: Japan’s long hitter Erika Hara.
Hwang leads with 291 points to Hara’s 277, a narrow 14-point margin. Hara has three top-10s—two more than Hwang’s single top-10—but those finishes were one T10 and two T9s, so they weren’t particularly high finishes.
Still, Hara has a strong chance to take over the rookie lead this week. If she finishes inside the top 35 at the ShopRite LPGA—played May 29 at the Seaview Hotel & Golf Club Bay Course in Galloway, N.J. (par 71)—she would pass Hwang, since 36th place awards 14 rookie points. Hara comes in on an upswing with finishes of T9, T9 and T16 in her last three starts.
Rookie No. 3 is Melanie Green (USA) with 156 points, followed by Mimi Rose (England) in fourth with 134 points. Both are entered in the ShopRite.
Hwang plans to mount her counterattack next week at the U.S. Women’s Open. Majors award double rookie points compared with regular events, and at the season’s first major, the Chevron Championship, Hwang posted the best rookie finish with a T12.
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